APRIL 20 • NHL.COM
Wedgewood stops 24, Avalanche hold off Kings in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com Lehkonen, O’Connor score for Colorado; Panarin has goal for Los Angeles
Kings know they need to generate more offense in Game 2 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com ‘Have to be better than good’ against Avalanche after being shut out for 57:38 in series opener
APRIL 20 • NHL.COM
What Needs to Change for the LA Kings in Game 2 vs Colorado Avalanche? | 2026 NHL Playoffs
3 months ago
Big hits are already piling up in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs
The NHL playoffs are off to a physical start through seven games with teams averaging a combined 86.9 hits per gameAPRIL 20 • Associated Press
Brandt Clarke - Adds power-play helper Clarke logged a power-play assist in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Avalanche in Game 1.
Impact Clarke hasn't scored a goal since March 2, and he was limited to just two assists over his last 14 games of the regular season. The 23-year-old defenseman will be tasked with key top-four minutes this postseason after seeing limited action with two goals over six games while averaging 12:47 of ice time versus the Oilers in the first round last year. Clarke had a career-high 40 points, including 13 on the power play, over 82 regular-season outings in 2025-26.
APRIL 20 • ROTOWIRE
Artemi Panarin - Tallies late to break up shutout Panarin scored a power-play goal on two shots in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Avalanche in Game 1.
Impact Panarin surged down the stretch with 27 points over the last 26 games of the regular season to help the Kings win a battle for a wild-card spot. He totaled 84 points (23 on the power play) and 224 shots on net and a minus-7 rating over 78 outings between the Kings and the Rangers in the regular season. Panarin is a lock for point-per-game production in the regular season, but he hasn't displayed offense as consistently in the playoffs, earning 21 goals and 40 helpers over 73 postseason outings across eight previous playoff runs.
APRIL 20 • ROTOWIRE
Artturi Lehkonen - Scores in playoff opener Lehkonen scored a goal on two shots and added two hits in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Kings in Game 1.
Impact Lehkonen opened the scoring at 15:29 of the second period to break the deadlock in a tightly-defended game. The winger opened the postseason on the first line, but the Avalanche could mix and match around the top six at times. Lehkonen is no stranger to the playoffs, having won the Stanley Cup in 2022 with the Avalanche. This is eighth year in the postseason -- over his first seven playoff runs, he earned 26 goals and 21 assists in 78 contests.
APRIL 20 • ROTOWIRE
FOX SPORTS™, SPEED™, SPEED.COM™ & © 2026 Fox Media LLC
and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Use of this
website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your
acceptance of these
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | Advertising Choices | 
Your Privacy Choices | Closed Captioning 
Your Privacy Choices | Closed Captioning